Herbert Volney King Bio
Monongalia Co. WV


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II

pg 192

Herbert Volney King, M.D.  The fearless, questioning attitude of the 
twentieth century is nowhere more strikingly apparent than among the 
exponents of the medical profession.  The tendency of the latter-day 
scientific physician to avoid, beyond all things, hasty jumping to 
conclusions or too ready dependence upon formulae is rapidly destroying 
ancient delusions.  The heights to which a man with reason and courage may 
climb are practically limitless, and such men deserve, and in this age of the 
world usually receive, the hearty co-operation and support of the people of 
intelligence and worth in their communities.  To this class of rational 
thinkers belongs Dr. Herbert Volney King, whose opportunities along 
professional lines, and particularly those dealing with diseases of the eye, 
ear, nose and throat, have been exceptional and whose use of the same has 
made him an important factor in connection with professional circles of 
Morgantown and Monongalia County.

Doctor King is a native of Ohio, having been born at Bellaire just across the 
Ohio River from West Virginia, January 10, 1883, a son of the late William 
and Belle (Powell) King, natives of Belmont County, Ohio.  Doctor King was 
but a boy when both his parents died.  At the age of eleven years he removed 
with his guardian to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he attended the city schools, 
graduating from Humbolt High School of that city in 1901.  Entering then the 
University of Minnesota, he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of 
Medicine as a member of the class of 1905.  Doctor King embarked in general 
practice at St. Paul in the same year, and continued as a practitioner of 
that city until 1917.  He was assistant to Dr. L. A. Schipfer, the noted eye, 
ear, nose and throat specialist of Bismarck, North Dakota, for a time, and 
later was assistant to Dr. Harry J. Heeb, professor of ophthamology at 
Marquette College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He took further post-graduate work 
under Dr. H. P. Mosher, now professor of nose and throat diseases at Harvard 
University.  In the fall of 1920 Doctor King entered practice at Morgantown, 
where he has since been engaged in specializing in the treatment and cure of 
ailments of the eye, ear, nose and throat, and in the short period of time 
that he has been located here has established himself firmly in the 
estimation of the people of the city and its surrounding environs.

Doctor King is a member of the Monongalia County Medical Society, the West 
Virginia State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.  
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masons, and his religious connection is 
with the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He is a man of genial and confidence 
inspiring personality, a philosopher in his attitude towards the world and a 
rationalist in his sane and practical purpose.

Doctor King married Miss Abbie Abbott, daughter of J. D. and Sophia 
(Peterson) Abbott, of St. Paul, Minnesota, her father of Scotch stock and her 
mother of Swedish ancestry.  Five children have come to Doctor and Mrs. King: 
 Edwin and Ethel, twins, born August 1, 1911; Mary Belle, born November 25, 
1913; Herbert William, born April 11, 1915; and Dorothy, born August 25, 1918.